My Tuna Pasta Salad is chock-full of colorful veggies and bright flavors! Although this is a Tuna Pasta Salad, it’s definitely veggie forward with just over 1 pound of raw vegetables.
This is hands-down the recipe I’ve been making the longest. I had just turned 18, was freshly out on my own, and trying to learn how to cook for myself for the first time. Sure, I’ve tweaked it over the years but it’s essentially the same. For that reason alone, to me, it will always be a special one.
This recipe is simple to prepare and highly customizable; a make-ahead recipe that’s great for potlucks, BBQ’s, and easy lunches.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR MAKING THE BEST TUNA PASTA SALAD
Why cook the pasta in extra-salted water?
Simple. Because cold pasta salads require more seasoning than hot pasta dishes. The key to a well-seasoned pasta salad starts with the pasta water. Trust me, use the 3 tablespoons. Your pasta won’t be overly salty and needs the extra-salted water.
Why cook the pasta until just past al dente?
Pasta hardens and gets chewy as it cools. Because we’re serving this cold, the pasta benefits from another 30 seconds-1 minute of cooking. Be careful not to overcook though! Nobody wants mushy pasta.
Should I cool down the pasta before mixing with the dressing?
It’s a misconception that you should cool off cooked pasta before mixing with a dressing. In fact, you’d be missing out on a ton of flavor! Warm pasta will absorb the dressing a lot better, resulting in a well-seasoned pasta salad.
Don’t forget to reserve ⅓ of the dressing to mix in right right before serving.
Why do you use tuna in olive oil? Can I use tuna in water?
I use tuna in extra-virgin olive oil because it adds tremendous flavor to dressing. It’s not overly fishy whatsoever.
I’ve tested this recipe by using tuna in water and it’s just not the same. If you want to use tuna in water, drain and discard the liquid (do not add it to the dressing). Add a little bit more extra-virgin olive oil and seasonings to compensate.
If you want to add more protein, feel free to double up on the tuna, but I suggest only adding the olive oil from 1 tin to the dressing.
Can I used dried dill instead of fresh?
Of course! Use 1 tablespoon dried dill instead of ¼ cup fresh dill. Add the dried dill along with all other ingredients for the dressing; whisk together to combine. If using fresh dill, do not add to the dressing.
MY KITCHEN STAPLES (featured in this recipe)
- Mayonnaise – There’s a reason why Hellmann’s Mayo is king; it’s the best!
- Red Wine Vinegar – Pompeian is an excellent product with fantastic value.
- Olive Oil – Stonehouse Olive Oil is the only EVOO you’ll find in my kitchen. I’ve been a fanatic for 10 years.
- Onion Salt – Trader Joe’s has a killer onion salt! It’s the best I’ve been able to get my hands on. This spice mix features granulated onion, granulated garlic, minced onion, kosher salt, green onion, and dried chives.
Is this Tuna Pasta Salad your style? Try some of my similar recipes below!
2. BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado Buttermilk Ranch
3. Not Your Mama’s Macaroni Salad
4. Loaded Antipasto Pasta Salad
Tuna Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- 1 strainer
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 3 cups dry macaroni elbows or other short noodles like shells, fusili, rotini, penne; see notes
- 5 oz tin of albacore tuna in olive oil may add 2 tins for extra protein; see notes
- 2 bell peppers any combo of red, green, yellow, or orange; diced
- 2 celery stalks trimmed, sliced lengthwise, and diced
- ⅓ cup red onion finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped or torn; may sub with 1 tbsp dried dill; see notes
Dressing:
- ½ tsp celery seed
- ½ tsp onion salt Trader Joe's has my favorite by FAR
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper to taste
- kosher salt to cook pasta and season the dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup mayonnaise Hellman's reigns supreme
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar Pompeian is excellent quality for cost
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil Stonehouse brand is my longtime love; their basil EVOO is my favorite in this recipe
- ½ lemon juiced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. While waiting for the water to boil, start chopping your bell peppers, celery, onion, and dill. Set aside.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil, add 3 heaping tbsp of kosher salt, and stir; return to a roaring boil. I know this seems like a lot of salt but pasta salads require more seasoning than hot pasta dishes. They key to a well-seasoned pasta salad starts with the pasta water. Trust me, your pasta won't be overly salty.Add pasta, stir, and cook as per package instructions until 30 seconds past al dente, usually about 6-7 minutes for elbow macaroni. Pasta hardens and gets chewy as it cools. Because we're serving this cold, the pasta benefits from another 30 seconds of cooking. Be careful not to overcook though! Nobody wants mushy pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, let's prepare the dressing. Add all ingredients for the dressing into a bowl that's large enough to fit all the pasta and veggies; whisk to combine. Drain the extra-virgin olive oil from the tin of tuna into the dressing; whisking constantly until incorporated. Reserve about ⅓ of the dressing, set aside along with the drained tuna.If you're using dried dill, whisk it along with the other ingredients for the dressing. If you're using fresh dill, reserve until later when we mix all the salad ingredients together.
- When the pasta is al dente, drain well but don't rinse; we want to keep all the starch we can. Transfer cooked elbows directly into the large bowl with ⅔ of the dressing; toss/stir until well-combined. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed. Your pasta will be hot when you pour it into the cold dressing. It's a misconception that you should cool off the pasta before mixing with dressing. In fact, you'd be missing out on a ton of flavor! Warm pasta will absorb the dressing a lot better, resulting in a well-seasoned pasta salad.
- Add tuna, bell peppers, celery, red onion, and fresh dill; stir until well-combined and tuna is broken up into smaller pieces. Cover, and put in the fridge to chill. I like to let this sit in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to marry, but that's optional. Store reserved dressing in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
- Stir in the remaining ⅓ of the dressing right before serving; toss until incorporated. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired. Garnish with torn fresh dill (optional). Serve with pickled cucumber or veggies.
Store in an airtight container for 2 days (3 is a bit of stretch). The pasta will get soggier by day 3. If you're looking to make this head of time, ideally make this the morning of or the night before.
Notes
- 3 tablespoons may seem like a lot of salt but pasta salads require more seasoning than hot pasta dishes. They key to a well-seasoned pasta salad starts with the pasta water. Trust me, your pasta won’t be overly salty and needs the extra-salted water.
- Pasta hardens and gets chewy as it cools. Because we’re serving this cold, the pasta benefits from another 30 seconds of cooking. Be careful not to overcook though! Nobody wants mushy pasta.
- NO! It’s a misconception that you should cool off cooked pasta before mixing with dressing. In fact, you’d be missing out on a ton of flavor! Warm pasta will absorb the dressing a lot better, resulting in a well-seasoned pasta salad. Don’t forget to reserve ⅓ of the dressing to mix in right right before serving.
- I use tuna in extra-virgin olive oil because it adds tremendous flavor in the pasta sauce. It’s not overly fishy whatsoever. I’ve tested this recipe by using tuna in water and it’s just not the same.
- If you want to use tuna in water, drain and discard the liquid (do not add it to the dressing). Add a little but more extra-virgin olive oil to compensate.
- Although this recipe calls for fresh dill, you can absolutely use dried. Use 1 tbsp dried dill and whisk it into the sauce, as opposed to adding fresh dill along with the chopped veggies.
- Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Ideally, this recipe should be consumed within 2 days because its gets a bit soggy by day 3. If you’re looking to make this ahead of time, I suggest making it the morning of or the night before. This recipe benefits from some chill time in the fridge.
